Fur garments and method of making the same



May 31, 1955 J. J. KEYSER ,2

FUR GARMENTS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Nov. 26, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Lg] INVENTOR.

Johan/1 J/fE/SGI.

Q4 QM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. J. KEYSER FUR GARMENTS AND METHOD OF MAKINGTHE SAME Filed Nov. 26, 1951 May 31, 1955 0 0 banana 000 .0. o v pn w oUnited States Patent Q FUR GARMENTS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME JohannJ. Keyser, Aarau, Switzerland Application November 26, 1951, Serial No.258,274

Claims priority, application Germany April 9, 1951 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-65)The present invention relates to cold weather apparel and, moreparticularly, to cold weather apparel made from fur covered animalskins. continuation-in-part application of my co-pending patentapplication Ser. No. 192,135 filed October 25, 1950, now Patent No.2,687,529.

It is a well known fact and can easily be observed in the animal worldthat a fur protects a body against cold best when it is in directcontact with the skin of said body. Consequently, when using fur coveredanimal skins for protecting human beings against the implements of coldweather, efforts have been made to bring the fur as close to the skin ofthe respective person as possible. However, the methods of processingpelts and piecing the furs together as practiced prior to my inventionhave proved unsuitable for making fur covered a socks, underwear, or thelike in such a manner that the fur side thereof can be worn directly onthe skin. The reason for this consists primarily in that the processedpelt is too stiff, lacks elasticity, and that the direct contact betweenthe fur and the skin causes skin irritations. Furthermore, the furcovered skin cannot be washed like regular textile underwear withoutimpairing the usefulness thereof. Thus, fur covered animal skins wereused merely as a warming supplement in form of fur coats, jackets,vests, foot sacks, etc. to be worn either over customary textileclothing or they were lined with textiles. In other words, withtheseknown fur covered clothing pieces, the fur never was in direct contactwith the human skin, while the fur covered wearing apparel becameworthless when subjected to regular washing. On the other hand, theseknown fur covered textile clothing pieces are relatively heavy andbulky, thus considerably handicapping the wearer who has to performoutside work in cold weather.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide wearing apparelof fur covered animal skins which will overcome the above mentioneddrawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide fur covered clothingpieces such as socks, underwear of any type, etc. which can be worndirectly on the skin, without irritating the skin or inconveniencing thewearer.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a wearing apparel fromfur covered animal skins which will have at least the natural elasticityof the processed skin.-

vIt is a still further object of this invention to provide wearingapparel as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, which can be washedand dried like regular corresponding textile pieces without impairingthe usefulness of the respective wearing apparel.

It is still another object to provide a relatively simple method ofmaking fur covered wearing apparel of the above mentioned type.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

This application is a 2,709,258 Patented May 31, 1955 Fig. 1 illustratesa for covered sock according to the present invention.

Figs. 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d represent the cut individual animal skinsections making up the sock of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 3a respectively illustrate the front and rear part of anundershirt made from fur covered animal skins in conformity with theprinciples of the present invention.

Figs. 4 and 4a show the manner in which an overall undergarmentaccording to the invention is made up.

Fig. 5 represents the completed undergarment of Figs. 4 and 4a.

Fig. 6 is a View of a connection according to the present invention oftwo fur covered animal skin portions.

Fig. 6a is a connection similar to that of Fig. 6 but using anadditional connecting member in form of a ribbon.

Fig. 7 represents a section along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6a.

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Fig. l but on a scale largerthan that of Fig. 1 and materially increased over the actual dimensions.

General arrangement In order to provide wearing apparel of fur coveredanimal skin which can be worn with the fur side directly on the humanskin, it has, after extensive tests, been found according to the presentinvention that of the numerous generally available animal skins onlylamb skin represents a suitable starting material for the wearingapparel involved. These tests have shown that lamb skin not only in thestructure of its leather, i. e. softness, smoothness, porosity, tenstilestrength and elasticity, but also with re gard to its wool structure, i.e. softness, air permeability, compatibility and failure to irritatehuman skin, combines all those features which, while immaterial for thepreparation of heretofore conventional outer fur garments, areindispensable for the making of fur underwear. It will be obvious thatthe softness of the fur covered leather must under all circumstances bemaintained if the undergarment made therefrom is to be worn directly onthe human skin. This fact has lead to another finding according to thepresent invention, namely that the stretching of animal skin overspecific forms, as is done for instance in connection with the shapingof animal skulls and hand muffs, destroys the elasticity of the animalskin to such an extent that it becomes unsuitable as a component of furunderwear.

Even if the elasticity of the lamb skins can be maintained and the skinsafter having been tanned are pieced together according to customaryfurrier methods to the desired wearing apparel, e. g. a sock, tests haveproved that the apparel will not stand up for any appreciable length oftime to alternating stresses, especially the pulling in differentdirections, and consequently such piece of fur covered wearing apparelis likewise of no practical value.

The above mentioned difficulties in creating a useful durable wearingapparel from fur covered animal skin has been solved according to thepresent invention by the combination of the following three factors,namely (a) the selection of very fine lamb skin, preferably Montevideolamb, as starting material; (b) after tanning the lamb skins, to cut thesame in such a manner as to preserve their elasticity, in other words,to cut the skins in the direction of their greatest elasticity; and (c)the interconnection of the individual skin pieces by a zigzag sewingmethod which, while not customary in the furrier trade with heretoforeknown fur garments, will not only improve the elasticity of the finishedwearing apparel but will also prevent a tearing of the leather along theseam. This elasticity is of particular importance in connection withsuch wearing apparel as socks, especially at thestep-up and the anklearea while putting the socks on the feet.

According to a further development of the invention, the z'igzag'sewingmethodas varied in such a manner that the stitching holes on each sideof the abutting edges of the skins to be connected together are locatedon an alternately ascending and declining line. In this way, theelasticity of the seam is further increased while the possibility oftearing along the seam is further reduced.

In conformity with a still further development of the invention, theresistance of the wearing apparel against pull and tear stresses may befurther increased by reinforcing the seams, e. g., in case of socks, atthe step-up and ankle area and at the sole, by ribbons of a materialwhich while being strong, has a certain elasticity. Materials knownunder the trade-marks nylon and Perlon are particularly suitable forsuch reinforcing ribbons. These ribbons are preferably made and appliedso that their warps and woofs run in diagonal direction with regard tothe abutting edges of the respective connecting skin pieces. Theconnection of the skin pieces with each other and the connection of theribbon at the seams is preferably effected with strong elastic syntheticthreads, e. g. of the above mentioned nylon or Perlon material, whichthreads may or may not be covered up by the respective ribbon.

Whenever desired, also triangular skin pieces may be inserted at certainplaces, e. g. between the legs, underneath the arm pits, etc. in orderto reduce the stress at such points.

Since, as a rule, the individual skin sections or portions of one andthe same wearing apparel have come from more than one animal, and in asmuch as it is only natural that there are differences in the naturalskin structure of the individual animals, there may be some althoughsmall differences in the elasticity of the skin sections making up therespective wearing apparel. To equalize and smoothen out suchdifferences in order to obtain practically the same elasticitythroughout the wearing apparel, it has been found advantageous accordingto the present invention, after the skin sections have been sewntogether, to turn the leather side of the wearing apparel, e. g., asock, outwardly, to moisten the leather side with clear water, then toturn the leather side inwardly, and finally to place the thus turnedwearing apparel with its leather side on a respective form for drying.It may be emphasized in this connection that the placing of the wearingapparel on the said form has nothing to do with the shap ing of thewearing apparel but, as mentioned above, merely serves to eliminate anypossible structural tensions in the skin sections. The desired shapeitself of the wearing apparel is obtained by the respective cut of theskin sections. After the wearing apparel has dried, it is again turnedso that the fur is on the inside.

In order to increase the resistance of the fur side against humidity ingeneral and perspiration in particular, the fur sideof the respectivewearing apparel may according to the present invention be impregnatedwith moisture repellent means, e. g. silicone.

Structural arrangement thereby. Furthermore, the lamb skins must be soproc-.'

essed that they will be free from chemicals which might cause irritationof the human skin that may be in direct contact therewith for a longerperiod of time. Also, the lambskins must not be hygroscopic and,therefore, may be treated with moisture repellents such as silicone.

In order to manufacture a sock of the type shown in and 6 are cut outtherefrom, and this cutting is effected in the direction of the greatestelasticity of the skins. These pieces which are shown in Figs. 2 to 2dare then sewn together by a zigzag seam as shown for instance at 7.While the seam 7 is a regular zigzag seam, it is preferable to use-azigzag seam as shown in Fig. 6. The zigzag seam illustrated therein issuch that the stitching lengths 89, 89', 89", etc. equal each other, andthat the distances between two successive stitches are the same, whilethe distances of the stitching holes 8, 8' and 8" from the abutment edgez equal w, v and u respectively, i. e. are different from each other.The same applies to the distances of the stitching holes 9, 9 and 9"from the abutrnent edge z. Thus, expressed in different words, thestitching holes on both sides of the abutment edge 1 are respectivelylocated on two spaced parallel lines with alternately ascending anddeclining sections. It will be appreciated that with such a seam, atearing at the stitching holes is practically impossible in view of therelatively great distance between those two successive stitching holeswhich are located at the same distance from the abutment edge z and atthe same side thereof. On the other hand, the undulated course of theseam assures the necessary and desired elasticity.

In order further to strengthen the seam areas, a reinforcing ribbon 10may be placed over the seam areas and sewn to the respective furrcoveredskin portions. In order not to impair the elasticity at the seam areasby such reinforcing ribbon, the ribbon is preferably woven so that thewarp and woof threads extend diagonally With regard to the abutmentedges of the two respective interconnected skin portions. This willallow a distortion of the ribbon in the direction of the seam as well asperpendicular thereto. If the ribbon 10 and also the thread 11 are madeof fully synthetic fibers, e. g. of the material known under thetrade-marks nylon and Perlon, which materials are particularly tearresistant and elastic, the yieldability and the resistance against tearat the seam areas will equal those of the skin itself, thereby assuringthat the seams will last as long as the skins.

The ribbons 10 may be connected to the skins in various ways. As shownin Fig. 1, two zigzag seams connect the ribbons 10 to the respectiveinterconnected skin portions 2, 3, 4, and 5. The ribbon 12 overlying theseam between the sole 6 and the skin portions 4 and 5 is so connected tothe same that the connecting thread 13 is not visible from the outside.It is, of course, understood that, if desired, the connecting method forribbon 12 may be the same as that used for ribbon .10, and, similarly,the connecting method for ribbon 10 may, if so desired, be replaced bythe connecting method for ribbon 12. Q 7

The upper marginal portion of the sock is preferably folded over andsewn on so as to form a hem after an elastic band 15 has been placedunderneath the folded over portion. The band 15 may for instance be ofrubber.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 3a, these figures respectively representthe front part a and back part b of a fur undershirt according to thepresent invention. Similar to the fur sock described above, each of theparts a and b is composed of a plurality of skins and/or a plurality ofskin portions 16 to 22 and 16 to 22 respectively which are cut andconnected with each other in a manner described above in connection withFig. 1 so as to make up the front and back parts of an undershirt of adesired shape. These parts a and b after having been cut to shape arethen sewn together so as to form the desired fur covered undershirt. Insome special instances, they may also be pasted together by specialpasting means adapted to stand up under repeated washing. The fur sideis, of course, again on the inside of the wearing apparel. Furthermore,the triangular pieces 21 and 21' may be replaced by a single piece, andthe same may be done with the pieces 22, 22' and other pieces.

Figs. 4, 4a and 5 show another example of fur covered underwearaccording to the present invention. This piece of underwear, which inits completed form represents an overall undergarment, shown in Fig. 5,comprises a front part k and a back part 1. Each of these parts is againcomposed of a plurality of individual skins cut in the direction of thegreatest elasticity and sewn together according to the principlesoutlined above in connection with the sock of Figs. 1 to 2d.Furthermore, reinforcing triangular pieces :11 may be provided. Afterhaving been cut to shape, the parts k and l are sewn together alongtheir respective outer edges so as to form the garment of Fig. 5.Finally, the garment of Fig. 5 is provided with button holes and buttonsp or, if preferred, with a zipper or other convenient closing means.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is, by no means,limited to the particular wearing apparel shown in the drawings but thatany other type of wearing apparel, e. g. the various types of mens andwomens underwear may be made according to the present invention. It isfurthermore to be understood that the present invention is not limitedto the specific arrangement of the skins as shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

l. A method of making wearing apparel having a fur covered inside andbeing adapted to be worn directly on the human skin, which includes thesteps of cutting lamb skins with finest wool structure which have beenprocessed to fine kid glove leather thickness to shape in conformitywith the shape of the apparel to be made, said cutting be ing effectedin the direction of the greatest elasticity of the skins, sewing theindividual skin sections thus cut together by a zigzag seam running backand forth across the respective abutting edges of the respectivesections to be connected with each other, thereafter placing ribbonmeans above said zigzag seams on the leather side of the thus connectedskin sections and sewing said ribbon means along inverted edge portionsthereof to said skin sections by seams separate from said zigzag seamsand arranged laterally of said zigzag seams, treating at least 1 someportions of the fur side with a moisture repellent, and turning the furside of the apparel inwardly.

2. A wearing apparel having a fur covered inside adapted to be worndirectly on the skin of a person, which comprises in combination, aplurality of lamb skin sections having a fine wool structure andarranged in edge to edge abutment, each two adjacent sections being sewntogether by a zigzag seam running back and forth across the abuttingedges of the respective skin sections, and elastic ribbon means sewn tothe leather side of at least two skin sections which are in abutmentwith each other and covering up at least one of said seams.

3. A wearing apparel according to claim 2, in which the warp and woofthreads of the ribbon means are located diagonally with regard to theabutting edges covered thereby.

4. A wearing apparel having a fur covered inside adapted to be worndirectly on the skin of a person, which comprises in combination, aplurality of lamb skin sections having a fine wool structure andarranged in edge to edge abutment, each two adjacent sections being sewntogether by a zigzag seam running back and forth across the abuttingedges of the respective skin sections while the stitching holes of atleast one seam are located along two substantially parallel lines withalternately ascending and declining sections, and elastic ribbon meanssewn to the leather side of at least two skin sections which are inabutment with each other and covering up at least one of said scams.

5. A wearing apparel having a fur covered inside adapted to be worndirectly on the skin of a. person, which comprises in combination, aplurality of lamb skin sections having a fine wool structure andarranged in edge to edge abutment, each two adjacent sections being sewntogether by a zigzag seam running back and forth across the abuttingedges of the respective skin sections, and elastic ribbon means arrangedon the leather side of said apparel and covering up at least one of saidseams, said ribbon means being connected to said apparel by zigzag seamsextending completely through said ribbon means so as to be visible fromthe outside thereof.

6. A wearing apparel having a fur covered inside adapted to be worndirectly on the skin of a person, which comprises in combination, aplurality of lamb skin sections having a fine wool structure andarranged in edge to edge abutment, each two adjacent sections being sewntogether by a zigzag seam running back and forth across the abuttingedges of the respective skin sections, and elastic ribbon means arrangedon the leather side of said apparel and covering up at least one of saidseams, said ribbon means being connected to said apparel by seamscovered up by portions of said ribbon means so as not to be visible fromthe outside of said apparel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS116,578 Falkenau July 4, 1871 501,478 Jaros July 11, 1893 1,195,814Higgins Aug. 22, 1916 1,663,376 Koller Mar. 20, 1928 1,715,747 FalckJune 4, 1929 1,896,183 Manson Feb. 7, 1933 2,066,282 Van Voorhis Dec.29, 1936 2,234,138 Kritchevsky Mar. 4, 1941 2,398,510 Wilson Apr. 16,1946 2,545,658 Gellman et al Mar. 20, 1951

